Game or puzzle apparatus



(No Model.)

0. P. BLINN.

' V GAME 0R PUZZLE APPARATUS. No. 458,297. 7 Patented Aug. 25, 1891.

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UNITED STATES PATENT QFlFICE.

CHARLES P. BLINN, OF BROOKLYN, NEW' YORK.

GAME 0R PUZZLE APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 458,297, dated August 25, 1891.

Application filed March 31, 1891- Serial No. 387,124. (No model.)

ber of balls are caused to travel along inter rupted paths toward a goal under the impulse of gravity due to various inclinations to which the game or puzzle board may be subjected.

A practical embodiment of my invention is represented in the accompanying drawings, in Which Figure 1 is a top plan view of the game or puzzle board, the opaque shield for the concealed portion of the interior being partially broken away toshow one of the partitions; and Fig. 2 is a transverse section through line a: $1 of Fig. 1, looking toward the concealed enc.

In'the form which I have selected to represent the game the casing is of oblong-rectangular form, the bottom A being fiat, the ends a a and sides a a projecting upward from the outer margin of the bottom A. A portion of the board at one end is provided with an opaque cover B, which conceals the interior arrangements at that end from the View of the player or operator. The remaining portion of the interior of the casing is exposed to view and may either be provided with a transparent cover 0, of glass, for example, or may be left entirely exposed. In either case it is intended that there shall be a cover in the form of an ordinary box-cover (not shown herein) for closing the face of .the board for shipment or when not in use.

At the opposite end of the board from the part concealed by the opaque cover B there are provided several stalls D D, separated from each other bysuitable partitions dd, &c. In the present instance I have represented five such stalls and have made them of such width as to receive freely the balls E E, &c. For purposes of explaining certain games or puzzles that may be played with this apparatus I have numbered the balls E E, &c., 1 2 3 at 5, and have also numbered the stalls D D, 850., 1 2 3 4 5 to designate the stall corresponding to each one of the balls; In practice it will be found preferable to make the balls of different colors and to color the several stalls to correspond with the colors of the balls rather than to number them; The open space in proximity to the entrance to the stalls is made to gradually contract for a certain distance by means of converging walls or partitions F F, and thence extends to a point within the portion concealed by the cover B in the form of a straight raceway formed by the parallel walls orpartitions ff. The points where the walls f f terminate within the concealed portion is indicated by dotted lines. The spaces between the walls or partitions Ff, F f, and the sides a a of the casing are intended to receive the balls at the start. The entrances G and G from the said spaces to the concealed portion are located adjacent to the sides of the casing, the space being partially closed by laterallyprojecting walls or partitions g and g, extending from the walls f and f toward the sides of the casing.

Across the stretch at the point where it enters the field adjacent to the stalls there is located a mark H to denote the finish when the apparatus is employed to play the racing game.

When the apparatus is employed as a puzzle, the several balls may be started from the spaces at the sides, a part in one and a part in the other, as represented in Fig. 1, and by tilting the board they are to be made to travel within the concealed portion under the cover B, and from thence around the ends of the walls ff into the central raceway, and thence into the several stalls, each of the balls to be lodged in its stall of the same number or color, and this is to be accomplished solely by tilting the board without touching the balls. The puzzle is solved when the several balls rest simultaneously in their appropriate stalls.

When the apparatus is employed to play the racing game, the several balls are supposed to represent horses, and are to be started from the stalls, as represented in dotted lines, Fig. 1. After two or more have been selected as winners, they are started from the stalls by tilting the board with the concealed portion toward the operator and allowing all of the balls to roll down the raceway within the concealed portion. The board is then reversed and tilted in the opposite direction, or first in one direction and then in another, in case certain of the balls have rolled into the spaces at the sides, until some one of the balls named as a winner shall have crossed the mark H on the return to the stalls. The ball named as the winner which first passes the mark wins the race.

What I claim is 1. The herein-described game or puzzle, comprising an inclosnre, a series of open-ended compartments or stalls at one end of the inclosnre, a field at the opposite end of the inclosure, partitions or walls forming a contracted raceway from a point back of the stalls to within the field, sub-inclosures at the opposite sides of the raceway partially partitioned from the field, and balls marked to identify them with the several compartments or stalls at the end, substantially as set forth. 2. The herein -described game or puzzle, comprising an inclosure, a series of open-ended compartments or stalls at one end of the inclosure, a concealed field at the opposite end of the inclosure, partitions or walls forming a contracted raceway from a point back of the stalls to Within the concealed field, sub-inclosnres at the opposite sides of the raceway partially partitioned from the field, and balls marked to identify them with the several compartments or stalls at the end, substantially as set forth. v

CHARLES P. BLINN. Vitnesses:

FREDK. HAYNES, GEORGE BARRY. 

